thrasher



pr 1964 w. THRASHER LOG AND RE-sAw CARRIAGE Filed Oct. 22, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 a w. 4 e m m a m e m ,4 TTaP/VEKS Apr 1964 E. w. THRASHER LOG AND RE-SAW CARRIAGE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 22, 1962 INVENTOR. 51.52/04: m 77/245115? BY I E. W. THRASHER LOG AND RE-SAW CARRIAGE April 14, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 22, 1962 M RR INVENTOR. 62.52/00: #4 mam/ e United States Patent 3,128,883 LOG AND REE-SAW QIAGE Elbridge W. Thrasher, 19541 Red Berry Drive, Los Gatos, Calif. Filed Get. 22, 1962, Ser. No. 231,907 13 @lairns. (Cl. 143-115) This invention relates to log and re-saw carriages.

Carriages of this type are guidedly mounted on a mill frame adjacent to and in parallelism with a saw for reciprocation past the saw. Mounted on the carriage at spaced points along one longitudinal edge thereof are several log-engaging knees. Also mounted on the carriage adjacent each knee is a log grab or dog arranged to look a log to the knees. Associated with the carriage is drive means for advancing and retracting it past the saw, and associated with the knees are driving mechanisms for simultaneously advancing the knees transversely towards the saw in increments substantially equal to the cut which is to be made from a log. Commonly, powerdriven screws are used for this purpose, and associated therewith and responsive to the movement thereof is a dial indicator for indicating the extent to which the knees have been advanced.

In the operation of a log and/or re-saw carriage of this type the knees are retracted to an extent sufficient to permit a log to be placed on the carriage lengthwise thereof. The log dogs are looked on the log so as to hold it tightly against the forward faces of the knees and then the knees are advanced to a position where the desired out can be taken from the log. The carriage and log are then advanced past the saw to take a out therefrom and then retracted. To repeat the cycle of operation, the knees are advanced another predetermined increment and the whole operation is repeated.

Although this type of equipment without any substantial change has been used in sawmills for years, it results in the waste of lumber and, in the case of timber-bound logs, produces boards which are not of uniform thickness. Both of these disadvantages, in turn, result from play or backlash in the knee-advancing mechanism. Due

to this play or backlash, it is practially impossible to stepwise advance the knees with proper accuracy in predetermined increments corresponding to the desired cut to be made from a log.

Since a board must be cut to a size not less than a predetermined minimum, the inaccuracy of this resetting mechanism must be compensated for by setting the machine to take a greater cut than is actually called for. To bring all boards so cut to a common gauge, subsequent excessive planing may be required. Furthermore, in the use of present equipment timber-bound logs (prestressed) frequently pull a portion of the log beyond the saw-line, and this results in boards of non-uniform thickness. For this additional reason, compensation is required.

In general, the object of this invention is the addition to a log and/or re-saw carriage of the character above described of means operable after each stepwise advance of the knees, for dead-centering each knee on its theoretical new position, and for locking them in these positions.

More specifically, one of the objects of this invention is the provision of a log and/or re-saw carriage of the character above described including: a rigid member formed integral with each knee and extending rearwardly therefrom; a plurality of tapered transversely extending sockets spaced along said member on a modulus equal to the desired cut to be taken from the log; and at least one wedge or tapered pin mounted on the carriage adjacent the line of travel of said sockets and arranged to be advanced into a substantially aligned socket so as to bring each knee to its dead-center position.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a log and/or re-saw carriage of the character above described wherein alternate sockets are reversely faced and wherein one wedge or pin is arranged to mate with the sockets facing in one direction; wherein another wedge or pin is arranged to mate with the alternate sockets, and wherein one set of sockets can be spaced on a modulus different from the modulus on which the other set of sockets are spaced.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a log and/or re-saw carriage of the character above described, wherein the sockets are arranged in a plurality of rows, the modulus on which the sockets are spaced in each such row being difierent from the modulus on which the sockets are spaced in every other row and wherein a separate wedge or tapered pin is provided for mating with the sockets of each row of sockets.

Still another object of this invention is the provision of a log and/or re-saw carriage of the character above described wherein the wedge or tapered pin is adjustably mounted on the carriage and locked thereto at selected points adjacent the line of travel of the sockets.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a log and/ or re-saw carriage of the character above described wherein the tapered sockets are in the form of blocks, wherein the blocks are supported in channels forming part of the rigid-member structure, wherein the spacing between the blocks can be varied, and wherein an entire row of blocks can be shifted along said channel and locked in any predetermined position thereon.

Another object of this invention is the provision of an interlock between the mechanism for stepwise advancing the rigid member and knees and the wedge 01 pin advancing and retracting mechanism so arranged that no stepwise movement can be imparted to the rigid member so long as a wedge or pin is in mating engagement with any of the sockets.

The invention possesses other advantageous features, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth at length in the following description where those forms of the invention which have been selected for illustration in the drawings accompanying and forming a part of the present specification are outlined in full. In said dra'wings, several forms of the invention are shown, but it is to be understood that it is not limited to such forms, since the invention as set forth in the claims may be embodied in other forms.

Referring to the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic top plan view of a log and/ or resaw carriage embodying the objects of my invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical section taken on the secvided with wheels 2 arranged to travel on tracks 3 and 4 supported on a saw-mill frame 5. As indicated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the carriage 1 travels in parallelism with and adjacent a saw line '6 and supports a log 7 adjacent the saw line. Although not shown, the carriage is arranged to reciprocate past a saw located in the saw line 6.

Mounted on the carriage 1 for transverse movement thereon are a plurality of slides generally designated by the reference numerals 8, 9 and 11 and carried by the 2.9 forward end (left-hand end as shown in FIG. 2) of each of these slides is a log-engaging knee generally indicated by the reference numeral 12.

Fixed to each of the slides 8, 9 and 11 is a nut 13, and threaded in each of these nuts is a transversely extending screw 14 terminating at its rear end in a beveled gear 15. Fixed to the carriage 1 in axial alignment with each of the nuts 13 is a bearing 16 for supporting an unthreaded portion of the screw 14 and holding it against longitudinal movement. Journaled on the rear side of the carriage 1 is a drive shaft 17 and fixed along the length thereof, in mesh with each of the beveled gears 15, is a complementary beveled gear 18.

Keyed to the shaft 17 is a pulley 19, and mounted on the carriage 1 is an air motor 20 provided with a drive pulley 21 aligned with the pulley 19. Reeved around these two pulleys is a drive belt 22. As a result of this construction the air motor can be used to simultaneously advance or retract each of the slides 8, 9 and 11 and the knees 12 associated therewith.

Although not shown, conventional means are associated with the air motor 20 for advancing the knees 12 in predetermined increments so that successive cuts of substantially predetermined gauge can be taken from the log 7, a dial being used for indicating the extent of movement of the knees.

Associated with each of the knees 12 is a grab or dog generally designated by the reference numeral 23 (shown in FIG. 2 but omitted from FIG. 1 for purposes of clarity).

As above indicated, the structure so far generally described is more or less conventional and is inadequate in that, due to slack and wear and tear in its various parts, it will not produce lumber of accurate and/or uniform gauge.

More specifically and for the purpose of embodying the objects of my invention in the structure above described, the carriage 1 mounts a pair of transversely extending eye beams 25 and 26. Welded to each of the beams 25 and 26 and extending the full length thereof are a pair of plates 27 and 28.

Extending across the rear ends of the plates, and adjustably fastened thereto by bolts 29 and 31 extended through elongated slots, is a rectangular platform 32.

Slidable on the plates 27 and 28 (FIG. 4) are wear pads 33 fixed to a knee support 34. Fastened to each end of the support 34 by bolts 35 is an L-shaped guide mem ber 36 provided with a foot 37 underlying the outer edge of the associated plate 27 or 28. As a result of this construction the support 34 is free to slide over the plates 27 and 28 and is retained thereon by the guide member 36.

Welded to the support 34 are a pair of upstanding knees 12, and extending across the forward edges thereof and welded thereto is a knee plate 39 arranged to contact the log 7 supported on the forward ends of the plates 27 and 28.

Fastened to the bottom of the support 34 by bolts 41 is a depending flanged nut 13, and threaded therein is the screw 14. Formed integral with the rear ends of the carriage 1 is a rearwardly extending platform 44. Mounted on the platform 44 is an upstanding bearing 16 in which the rear end of the screw 14 is journaled and fixed against longitudinal movement. As a result of this construction, rotation of the screw 14 will serve to either advance or retract the knee 12.

Welded to the rectangular platform 32 centrally thereof is a pad 47 (FIG. 3), and supported thereon is a wear plate 48.

Slidably mounted on the wear plate 48 is a fabricated beam generally designated by the reference numeral 49, and made up of a lower pair of opposed outwardly facing channels 51 and 52 and an upper superposed pair of opposed, outwardly facing channels 53 and 54. Disposed between the lower and upper pairs of channels at spaced points therealong are transverse spacing channels 55 bolted or otherwise secured to the channels 51, 52, 53 and 54, to thereby form a rigid integral structure thereof. Welded to the forward end of the beam 49 is a plate 56, and welded to the rear ends of the knees 12 is a complementary plate 57. Rigidly securing the two plates 56 and 57 are bolts 58. Welded across the rear ends of the channels 51-54 is a plate 59. Disposed between each pair of the channels 51, 52 and 53, 54 at spaced points therealong and welded thereto are blocks 61, and extending therethrough and through the cross channels 55 are bolts 62 serving to further insure the rigidity of the beam 49. Slidably mounted within each of the channels 51-54 are laterally grooved blocks 63, the sides of the channels being provided with flanges 64 receivable in the grooves of the blocks 63 and serving as retainers therefor.

Optionally, spacing shims 65 of any predetermined gauge can be placed between each adjacent pair of blocks 63 so as to vary the modulus of the block centers.

Welded within each of the channels 51-54 is a block 65a, and threaded within each such block are a pair of screws 66a arranged to engage the adjacent socket block 63. Likewise threaded in the plate 59 are set screws 67a arranged to engage the adjacent socket blocks 63. As a result of this expedient the position of each bank of socket blocks 63 can be shifted along its channel and fixed in any desired position relative thereto.

Formed in each of the blocks is a socket or notch 66 having inwardly converging side walls 67 and which optionally may be of rectangular or circular cross section. If a notch is here used, its side walls should, of course, converge. By the use of the shims 65, the modulus of the centers or axes of the sockets 66 in each of the channels 51-54 may be made to differ each from the other as desired.

Welded to the platform 32 on each side of the beam 49 are a pair of upstanding brackets 68 and 69, and mounted therein are upper and lower air cylinders 71-74, including piston rods 75-73 terminating in tapered pins or wedges 81-84. The axes of the piston rods 75 and 77 are located on a level with the axes of the upper pair of sock ets 66, and the axes of the lower pair of piston rods 76 and 73 are located on a level with the common axis of the lower pair of sockets 66. From FIG. 3 it is to be noted that the taper of the sockets 66 is slightly less than the taper of the pins 81-84.

Slidably mounted on the beam 49 intermediate its ends is an ear 85, and pivoted thereto is an upstanding link 86. Pivoted to the upper end of the link 86 is a forwardly extending arm 87 terminating at its forward free end in a tooth 87a arranged, when depressed, to take a bite on the upper side of the log 7. Also pivoted to the ear is a forwardly extending arm 88 having a downwardly inclined forward end 89 terminating in a tooth 91, arranged, when elevated, to take a bite on the lower side of the log 7. Disposed between the arms 87 and 88 and linked thereto is an air cylinder 92 arranged to spread or contract the two arms. Fastened to the knee 12 is an upstanding guide arm 93, and fixed to the arm 87 on either side of the arm 93 are guide blocks 94.

Mounted on the rear end of the beam 49 is an ear 95, and linked thereto, and to the link 86, is an air cylinder 96 arranged to advance and retract the arms 87, 88 and their teeth 87a and 91. As a result of the grab so formed, the log 7 can be tightly held against the plate 39 of the knee 12.

As above indicated, the carriage 1 mounts several units of the character shown in FIG. 2, three such units being illustrated in FIG. 1.

The log and/or re-saw carriage above described are under the control of a sawyer at a sawyers station 101. Extending from the station 101 to the carriage 1 is a pantograph 102, and extending through the pantograph 102 is a high-pressure air line 103 terminating in a manifold 104 extending the length of the carriage 1. Branch lines 105 deliver air to each of the cylinders 71-74 through spring-loaded 4-way air valves 106 under the control of spring-biased, double-acting solenoids 107. Also extending through the pantograph 102 are electric leads 108 to 108 under the control of a four-position selector switch 111 which, in turn, is under the control of a power switch 112. At the carriage 1 the leads 108 to 108 terminate in a time delay interlocking switch 113, and extending from the switch 113 are lines 114 and 115 communicating with each of the solenoids 107 and a line 116 communicating with a spring-biased, double acting solenoid 117 serving to actuate an air valve 118. The air line 104 communicates through a branch line 119 with the valve 118 which, in turn, communicates with the air motor 20 through lines 121 and 122.

As a result of this arrangement the selector switch 111 enables the sawyer to selectively actuate the air cylinders 71-74, and here it is to be borne in mind that each of the three beams 49 is equipped with a set of cylinders 71-74. By the use of the switch 111, all three cylinders 71 can be simultaneously actuated, or in the alternative, all three cylinders 72, etc. The time delay interlocking switch 113 permits the air motor 20 to be activated only during such periods that the tapered pins 81-84 are in their retracted positions, free and clear of their associated tapered sockets 66.

In the use of a log and/ or re-saw carriage of the character above described, the bank of socket blocks 63 in the channel 53 can, for example, be set on 3% centers, the bank of socket blocks 63 in the channel 54 set on 4" centers, the bank of socket blocks in the channel 51 set on 4 /8 centers, and the bank of socket blocks in the channel 52 set on 4%." centers. These four different centers correspond to four different gauges of lumber desired to be cut.

If the sawyer then wants to make a 3%" cut, the air motor 20 is set to advance the beam 49 in increments of 3% inches and the bank of socket blocks in the channel 53 is shifted along the channel 53 by the screws 66a and 67a to make one of the sockets 66 line up with the pin 81 of the cylinder 71. Each 3%" increment of advance of the beam 49 by the air motor 20 should bring one of the sockets 66 into substantial axial alignment with the pin 81. The sawyer, by the use of the selector switch 111, actuates the solenoid associated with the valve 106 which controls the cylinder 71. The tapered pin 81 is thereby forced into the socket 66, and this serves to dead-center and lock the beams 49 and consequently the knees 12 at their new position exactly 3%" in advance of their previous position. The carriage 1 is then advanced in the usual manner to carry the log 7 through the saw to take a precise 3%" therefrom and then retracted to its starting position, whereupon the cycle of operation above described is repeated.

It will therefore be seen that the tapered socket and pin arrangement above described serves to compensate for slack and wear in the driving mechanism of the log and/ or re-saw carriage, thus avoiding the necessity of overgauging the cut to be taken. Also, this arrangement serves to bring the beams 49 to a predetermined level and thus insure that the faces of the knees are vertical.

Although as illustrated the axes of the sockets and pins are horizontally disposed, it is apparent that they can be vertically disposed. In that event, however, this structure would not serve to bring the beams to level. Also, it is readily apparent that the sockets need not be closed as illustrated, but can be in the form of open V-shaped notches arranged to receive a V-shaped pin or bar. In any event, dead-centering of the knees results from the wedging action of two complementary inclined members.

As shown in FIG. 3, and as previously described, the taper on the pins 81-84 should be slightly less than the taper on the sockets 66; first, for the reason that this avoids the sticking together of these two parts and, secondly, for the reason that as wear occurs at one diameter of the 6 pin and socket, contact is then made at a greater diameter thereof and alignment is always preserved.

As indicated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the cylinders 71-74 are each vertically staggered relative to each other, and the platform 32 is adjustable along the plates 27 and 28. As a result of this expedient, the pins 81-84 can be readily centered relative to the sockets 66 and the starting positions of the beams 49.

I claim:

1. A frame; a log-supporting carriage mounted on said frame for reciprocation thereon in a first direction; an elongated rigid member mounted on said carriage normal to said first direction for translation thereover in a second direction normal to said first direction; a logengaging knee fixed to one end of said rigid member; at least one row of tapered sockets provided along the length of said rigid member; at least one wedge mounted on said carriage arranged for movement into and out of one of said sockets; means for stepwise advancing said rigid member so as to successively position each of said sockets into substantial alignment with said wedge; means for forcing said wedge into a socket substantially aligned therewith; means for reciprocating said carriage and means for retracting said wedge.

2. A frame; a log-supporting carriage mounted on said frame for reciprocation thereon in a first direction; an elongated rigid member mounted on said carriage normal to said first direction for translation thereover in a second direction normal to said first direction; a log-engaging knee fixed to one end of said rigid member; at least one row of tapered sockets provided along the length of said rigid member in parallelism with said first direction; at least one tapered pin mounted on said carriage in parallelism with said first direction and arranged for movement into and out of one of said sockets; means for stepwise advancing said rigid member so as to successively position each of said sockets into substantial alignment with said pin; means for advancing said pin into a socket substantially aligned therewith; means for reciprocating said carriage and means for retracting said pin.

3. A device such as set forth in claim 1 wherein there are two horizontal rows of sockets, the sockets in one row being staggered with respect to the sockets in the other row of sockets; and wherein at least one wedge is provided adjacent each of said rows of sockets, said wedges being staggered relative to each other.

4. A device such as set forth in claim 1 wherein the alternate sockets of said row of sockets face in opposite directions and wherein there is a first wedge on one side of said rigid member arranged to mate with alternate sockets and a second wedge on the other side of said rigid member longitudinally offset from said other wedge and arranged to mate with the remaining sockets.

5. A device such as set forth in claim 1 wherein said wedge is adjustably mounted on said carriage so that it can be selectively positioned longitudinally thereof.

6. A device such as set forth in claim 1 wherein said sockets can be adjustably positioned along the length of said rigid member.

7. A device such as set forth in claim 1 including means for varying the spacing between said sockets.

8. A device such as set forth in claim 1 including at least two vertically ofiset horizontal rows of spaced sockets, the sockets of one row of sockets being staggered relative to the sockets of the other row of sockets and including at least one wedge arranged to mate with the sockets of one row of sockets and at least another wedge arranged to mate with the sockets of the other row of sockets.

9. A device such as set forth in claim 1 wherein said rigid member is provided with a channel extending longitudinally thereof, and wherein said sockets are in the form of blocks mounted in a row in said channel.

10. A device such as set forth in claim 9 including means for shifting said row of blocks along said channel I to any selected position and locking said row in said position.

11. A device such as set forth in claim 9 including means for varying the spacing between said blocks.

12. A device of the character set forth in claim 1 including an interlock between the said means for advancing said rigid member and the means for retracting said pin, for preventing any movement of said rigid member relative to the movement of said carriage until said pin has been retracted clear of its socket.

13. A device of the character set forth in claim 1 wherein said sockets are arranged in a lower pair of contiguous rows and an upper pair of contiguous rows and wherein 2 .9 at least one wedge is arranged to mate with the sockets of each row of sockets.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 383,600 Swank May 29, 1888 537,902 Petticrew Apr. 23, 1895 836,006 Bemis Nov. 13, 1906 2,999,518 Mowery et a1 Sept. 12, 1961 10 3,086,568 Hartzcll Apr. 23, 1963 3,088,501 Good May 7, 1963 FOREIGN PATENTS 624,383 Canada May 1, 1956 

1. A FRAME; A LOG-SUPPORTING CARRIAGE MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME FOR RECIPROCATION THEREON IN A FIRST DIRECTION; AN ELONGATED RIGID MEMBER MOUNTED ON SAID CARRIAGE NORMAL TO SAID FIRST DIRECTION FOR TRANSLATION THEREOVER IN A SECOND DIRECTION NORMAL TO SAID FIRST DIRECTION; A LOGENGAGING KNEE FIXED TO ONE END OF SAID RIGID MEMBER; AT LEAST ONE ROW OF TAPERED SOCKETS PROVIDED ALONG THE LENGTH OF SAID RIGID MEMBER; AT LEAST ONE WEDGE MOUNTED ON SAID CARRIAGE ARRANGED FOR MOVEMENT INTO AND OUT OF ONE OF SAID SOCKETS; MEANS FOR STEPWISE ADVANCING SAID RIGID MEMBER SO AS TO SUCCESSIVELY POSITION EACH OF SAID SOCKETS INTO SUBSTANTIAL ALIGNMENT WITH SAID WEDGE; MEANS FOR FORCING SAID WEDGE INTO A SOCKET SUBSTANTIALLY ALIGNED THEREWITH; MEANS FOR RECIPROCATING SAID CARRIAGE AND MEANS FOR RETRACTING SAID WEDGE. 